


At Your Side

by Brolinismerthur



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Merthur Party 2013
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:12:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brolinismerthur/pseuds/Brolinismerthur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur's point of view on Merlin being Court Sorcerer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in collaboration with [Anushka](http://dollopheadsandclotpoles.tumblr.com) and [Liz](http://larielaris.tumblr.com) for [Merthur Party 2013](http://merthurparty.tumblr.com) day 3, Prompt: "The Once and Future King and The Greatest Warlock"
> 
> [Merlin's POV](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1101103) by Anushka  
> [Kilgharrah's POV](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1101190) by Liz

Now that Merlin is Court Sorcerer, Arthur is left with the task of dressing himself. Somehow its not the same if another servant does it for him. Of course he still has servants, he can’t do everything for himself, he’s the king after all. With the clip of his cape fastened tight, he makes his way for the Council room.

 

It's both exciting and nerve wracking to see Merlin sitting in the chair at his right. He’s confided in Merlin for so long that it feels normal, but now, with Merlin’s magic no longer being a secret, Arthur always feels a little on edge. _He could turn me into a frog at any moment just for forgetting to say my ‘please and thank yous.’_  But his favorite part of their weekly meetings, if there was anything he had to look forward to, was the gold shine of Merlin’s eyes as he magicked the documents in front of them. He did it so fluidly, like it took no effort at all. Every time, it gave Arthur an exciting chill down his spine. _I wonder what else he could with a flick of his wrist...._ They call him ‘The Greatest Sorcerer to ever walk the Earth, Emrys.’ _If only they knew just how much of a clumsy oaf he really was._

The blue of Merlin’s royal outfit brings out the different shades in his eyes, and Arthur finds himself staring, mesmerized by how the indigo pools. Until they turn gold again and Arthur is suddenly facing straight.

“Merlin!” He demands as he struggles to turn his face in any other direction. The people of the court look over at him with wide eyes and the guards have their hands on the hilt of their swords. Arthur glares at Merlin from the corners of eyes, puffing out heavy breathes of anger. Merlin simply smiles a knowing smile and releases Arthur from his magical grasp.

“You should be paying more attention, your highness,” he says through his smirk.

Arthur glares even harder and sighs heavily through his nose. Not because of what Merlin did, but because he was caught.

 

The meeting goes on as usual. Camelot is flourishing and all of her allies send thanks for helping them with the crop devastation of the previous winter. Arthur truly has become the King everyone said he would. As he tunes in and out of the conversation, he can’t help but wonder, _would it have happened had Merlin not been there by his side? Was it Merlin’s magic that proved his destiny to be true?_

Arthur sneaked a glance at Merlin’s profile once more, trying to hide his actions behind a piece of parchment. _Is he the one I have to thank for everything that has happened? With his magic and golden eyes...his impeccably sharp cheekbones…._ Merlin was speaking to the court about something probably important when he turned to face Arthur. “Isn’t that right, Arthur?”

“Hmm,” Arthur cleared his throat and looked to the council. “Oh yes. Without a doubt,” he nodded and when Merlin looked back at the councilmen, ending the meeting; Arthur narrowed his eyes at him. Merlin was the only person on the council who ever addressed him as simply,  Arthur, only calling him ‘your highness’ or ‘your grace’ in a mocking tone.

 

As everyone filed out, Arthur and Merlin stayed behind, still sitting in their chairs. Merlin quirked an eyebrow at Arthur as he straightened the papers with his long fingers, tapping them on the table collectively. “Something on your mind?”

“You like the power don’t you, Merlin?” Arthur smirked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Merlin played coy as he rolled up the papers and tied them with a bow, all with a flick of his wrist.

“Come now, Merlin. No need to play dumb with me,” Arthur leaned on his elbow, closer to Merlin.

Merlin leaned back in his chair. “Not so much the power, as the freedom to be who I am.”

Arthur was a bit taken aback by this admission. He knew Merlin was no fool, like he used think before Merlin’s powers were revealed, but he didn’t know how hard it must have been to have to hide his powers from everyone around him. Saving Arthur’s life more times than he could count, saving Camelot and its people from magical beasts. All that power. Such a burden on his small shoulders.

Arthur stared intently at the man in front of him. _He used to be so tiny._ Lean and clumsy. _Now he’s grown._ His shoulders have broaden, his muscles, more firm, and his ears, still large, but he’s grown into them as well.

“I’m thankful for all you’ve done, Merlin. I hope you know that,” he admitted quietly. “Everything we have now, who we’ve become, its all thanks to you.”

He watched as Merlin glanced down at the table top, thumbing a groove,  and smiling fondly at what Arthur had to say about him. But before Arthur could catch his eye, Merlin’s shy smile quickly retreated as the warning bells sounded.

 

“Your Highness!” A guard outside the council doors barged in with a clatter. “A man. He - he broke down the castle doors using magic!” The guard eyed Merlin, pleadingly.

 

“Merlin?” Arthur looked to the Warlock as they descended the steps to the main entry. Arthur wasn’t worried, but his heart started to beat a little faster.

“Arthur, don’t worry. No harm will come to Camelot, or you. I promise,” Merlin said with his hand on Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur looked at Merlin’s slim fingers, then back to his golden eyes and nodded.

Merlin sprinted toward the ruckus coming from down the hall. “Merlin!” Arthur shouted before he could round the corner. _Be careful._ Merlin stopped and stared at Arthur, reading his expression, nodded once more then was out of sight.

Arthur ran after Merlin as soon as he dispensed his orders to the guards who’d followed them.

The man, a druid, had brought down the ceiling of the great hall. Merlin had his back pressed against the wall, his arm outstretched and roaring out a spell. Arthur stood in what was left of the doorway, Excalibur poised in his hand, ready to attack.

Merlin’s spell cast the druid back, throwing him against the wall. He had a magical hold on the man at the throat, dragging his body higher, his legs kicking out beneath him. Arthur ran over to Merlin, catching his eye. _Merlin, please._ His face begging him to let the man go.

He let the man fall to the ground with a thud, his hands flying up to his throat, gasping for air. The King and the Warlock strode over to him.

“Who are you and why are you here?” Arthur asked in an even tone, the tip of Excalibur on the man’s chest.

The man stilled and looked Merlin directly in the eye. “I am the true Emrys.” Arthur felt Merlin straightened his shoulders at this. “I have come to claim my title.”

“There is only one Emrys,” Arthur said pointedly. “And he stands here beside me.”

 

Arthur lay in bed the next morning, watching as the suns rays stretched across the floorboards. _This isn’t the last time someone like that man will try to claim they are worthy of being in the Royal Court._ He sighed at the thought of more pointless attacks. _Possibly, Merlin could put a spell on the castle to stop other magic users from destroying the architecture. Having to rebuild each time would be more hassle than its worth…_

In truth, Arthur didn’t want anyone else to use their magic for Camelot, for him. _Merlin is all Camelot needs. All_ I _need._

Just then, there was a knock on his door.

“Come in,” he yawned.

It was Merlin. He peeked his head through a crack in the door and Arthur saw his smile as he caught Arthur still in bed.

“Alright, let’s have you _lazy daisy_ ,” Merlin joked, making Arthur laugh into his pillow.

 

It was easy to fall back into the routine of Merlin dressing him. His nimble fingers lacing Arthur’s tunic, tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he remembered how to fasten the robe’s clasps.

Arthur’s eyes roamed Merlin’s face freely. Stopping at his jaw, his cheekbones, the way his hair curled over the top of his ears and lastly, on his eyes. They were staring into his, wide and blue, so blue. They stood there, breathing each other’s air, Merlin’s hands still resting on Arthur’s chest where the clasp was still not yet fastened.

“Merlin?”

“Arthur?” His attention back the task at hand.

“You won't leave me, will you?" Arthur’s voice was quiet and shaky with uncertainty. “My side, I mean," he added hastily, mentally knocking himself in the head for sounding like such a girl.

Merlin's head jerked up from fiddling with the clasp and looked him in the eyes, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“Never. You’re my King,” Merlin’s eyes shined gold as they fastened the clasp of Arthur’s robe with a smirk. “And I am your Warlock.”


End file.
